Gershon Kingsley
Gershon Kingsley (born Götz Gustav Ksinski; October 28, 1922 – December 10, 2019) was a German-American composer, a pioneer of electronic music and the Moog synthesizer, a partner in the electronic music duo Perrey and Kingsley, founder of the First Moog Quartet, and writer of rock-inspired compositions for Jewish religious ceremonies. Kingsley is most famous for his 1969 influential electronic instrumental composition "Popcorn".
Gershon Kingsley | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Götz Gustav Ksinski |
| Also known as | Gershon Kingsley |
| Born | October 28, 1922 Bochum, Weimar Republic |
| Died | December 10, 2019 (aged 97) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Electronic, classical, pop, sacred, crossover |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, arranger, keyboardist, conductor |
| Instrument(s) | Synthesizer, piano |
| Years active | 1954–2019 |
| Website | Official website |
Kingsley conducted and arranged many Broadway musicals, and he composed for film, television shows and commercials. His compositions were eclectic and vary between avant-garde and pop styles. Kingsley also composed classical chamber works, and his opera Raoul was premiered in Bremen, Germany in 2008. His work was recognized with a Tony Award nomination for Best Conductor and Musical Director, two Clio Awards for his work in advertising music, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bob Moog Foundation. Kingsley died on December 10, 2019, at the age of 97 in Manhattan, New York.